TAMIU-SBDC Offers Various May Business Workshops

The Texas A&M International University Small Business Development Center (TAMIU-SBDC) will sponsor several workshops throughout the month of May.

Wednesday, May 15: Anatomy of a Business Plan Workshop will be held from 9:00 to 12:00 noon at the TAMIU Western Hemispheric Trade Center, room 126. Workshop fee is $20, and each participant receives Linda Pinzon’s “Anatomy of a Business Plan: a Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Business and Securing your Company’s Future,” a $50 value. Instructor Angelo Piccirillo explains that planning is the map to success in the business world. One needs to write a business plan when: starting or buying a business, financing or refinancing a business, or raising debt or equity capital.

Thursday, May 17: Internet Marketing and Social Media Workshop will be offered from 9:00 to 12:00 noon, at the TAMIU Western Hemispheric Trade Center, room 103. Social media is quickly replacing the old ‘networking’ system under which business owners went out into the community to meet with fellow businessmen and potential customers. Developing contacts was a time consuming process that social media sites has managed to neatly shorten. Relying on social media as an integral part of your internet marketing program will allow you to quickly and effectively control the flow of information, keep in touch with your client base and track current trends and requests, all from the comfort of your office. Steven Gutierrez will lead the workshop.

Wednesday, May 22: Managing Cash - the Small Business Owner's Guide to Financial Control Workshop, is scheduled from 9:00 to 12:00 noon, classroom location provided with registration confirmation; $20 fee includes Workbook. Cash flow is what comes into and goes out of a business. Gaining financial control by understanding cash flow is crucial to business success. Angelo Piccirillo will review cash – the fuel that runs your business, maximizing your cash flow, tools for speeding up cash collections, overdue invoices, and three tools for helping with accounts receivable, cash flow statements and four short-term financing solutions.

Thursday, May 23: QuickBooks Workshop: Putting Financial Management to Work for Your Business is a hands-on workshop from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in TAMIU’s Dr. Billy F. Cowart Hall, room 113. Instructor Norma Rodríguez, SBDC-certified business advisor, will go over the steps to create a new QuickBooks company, modify the preset chart of accounts, reconcile a QuickBooks checking account, invoice customers, create sales orders, receive payments from customers and make bank deposits, enter bills into QuickBooks and create and customize QuickBooks reports and graphs. Workshop fee is $50.

Thursday, May 30: Economic Opportunity Forum "Texas Wants YOUR Business" from 8:00 to 12:00 noon at the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center room 101. Successful businesses tap into new markets daily, securing new business to better their bottom line and extend their business’ reach. The State of Texas is a potential new market for vendors of all types of services and products… and it’s well within YOUR reach. Join us for our free special Economic Opportunity Forum “Texas Wants YOUR Business” You’ll learn: How to become HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) Certified; The Benefits of HUB Certification; and how to Maximize HUB Certification.

Friday, May 31: The TAMIU-SBDC, in conjunction with the Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid: Legal Assistance to Microenterprise Project (L.A.M.P.) will provide a Seminar designed to assist potential and existing business owners with legal issues. This free of charge Seminar is scheduled from 9:00 to 12:00 p.m.; classroom location provided with registration confirmation.

Amber VanSchuyver, staff attorney, will conduct the presentation. VanSchuyver explains that micro-entrepreneurs must grapple with a wide variety of legal issues, from entity selection and formation, to employment law issues, contract issues, commercial lease issues, and tax issues. This presentation will cover these and other topics, giving participants a greater understanding of the legal issues facing their business.